This essay investigates the question under which conditions ASMR is suitable for the concert space. What can be done to ensure that those sensitive to ASMR experience the desired effect? The text compares the sounds used to induce the physiological response called ASMR to those of “Musique Concrète (Instrumentale)” by firstly categorising the sounds found in Craig Richard’s Brain Tingles–a book coming from within the ASMR community–into Helmut Lachenmann’s Klangtypen der Neuen Musik (Sound Types of New Music), Pierre Schaeffer’s Typology of Musical Objects, and his General Plan for a Reel of Sustained Sounds. It also discusses ASMR in relation to Schaeffer’s listening modes as well as to reduced listening. Secondly, it compares the sounds found within actual ASMR videos to those found in music with similarities to ASMR composed by people who were both aware as well as unaware of what ASMR is and potentially does. This comparison is made between a varied set of ASMR videos and a set of recordings and, when applicable, scores of music with the above mentioned similarities to the phenomenon. For all sounds that could not be categorised in the above theories new categories are put forth that could complement Lachenmann’s Klangtypen der Neuen Musik in order to allow for the incorporation of ASMR-specific sounds into his model. Lastly, it deals with the implications of ASMR in a performance situation regarding ethics, sound projection, video-use, staging, and lighting.

Creator

• Roelofsen, Ruud

DOI

• https://doi.org/10.21985/n2-qvye-rh45

Subject

• Musical composition

Language

• en

Alternate Identifier

• http://dissertations.umi.com/northwestern:16524
• etdadmin_upload_984052

Keyword

• ASMR
• music

Date created

• 2023-01-01

Resource type

• Dissertation

Rights statement

• In Copyright